Confusion reigns on this subject. Charles Foti's Office doesn't have an official position on it. Foti's office pointed me to my local D.A. for his opinion. Local D.A. says they just prosecute cases that law enforcement brings to them. State Police Gaming say they "think it's illegal" but rarely enforced.

I'm posting here instead of the ticket board because of the capitalistic nature of scalping. Louisiana Revised Statute 4:1 says you can scalp through the Internet if certain requirements are met. I understand this to mean EBay auctions. My post here concerns non-Internet ticket sales.

Here's a little background I found: Louisiana's new scalping law (page 19)

Scalping supporters site the Free Market/Supply and Demand system. Scalping opponents claim only the well-to-do can get tickets thereby locking out fans of lesser means.

I also hear there are additional bills before the legislature on this subject.

Does anybody have a good handle on this?

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Posted by MikeBRLA

Baton Rouge

Member since Jun 2005

16886 posts

Posted on 6/15/07 at 3:30 pm to tigerpawl

quote:
Louisiana Revised Statute 4:1 says you can scalp through the Internet if certain requirements are met. I understand this to mean EBay auctions.

Last I heard Ebay will not accept bids on tickets from Louisiana bidders b/c Ebay says it is illegal in LA. I know several people who just call friends in other states where ebay will allow it and have their friends do the bidding, get the tickets shipped to that state, and then the friend later just mails the tickets back to them Louisiana.

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Posted by tigerpawl

Can't get there from here.

Member since Dec 2003

22628 posts

Posted on 6/15/07 at 4:01 pm to MikeBRLA

quote:
Last I heard Ebay will not accept bids on tickets from Louisiana bidders b/c Ebay says it is illegal in LA.

From EBay:

Regulated Location:
Pricing Limitations:

Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Alberta (CA), Manitoba (CA), Ontario (CA)
No more than face value.**

Connecticut, North Carolina
No more than face value plus $3.

Florida
No sale of multi-day or multi-event tickets that have been used at least once for admission.

Georgia
Only the original purchaser, a charity or a licensed broker may sell for more than face value.

Massachusetts
No more than face value plus $2 (except that a ticket broker licensed by the state may charge for certain additional expenses related to acquiring and selling the ticket).

Mississippi
No more than face value for events held on state owned property and athletic contests at Mississippi colleges and universities; no limits on other events.

Missouri
No more than face value for sporting events; no limits on other events.

New Jersey
No more than face value plus the greater of 20% of the ticket price or $3.00 (except that a registered ticket broker or a season ticket holder may accept a premium of up to 50% of the price paid to acquire the ticket).

New Mexico
No more than face value for college athletic events; no limits on other events.

New York
No more than face value plus 45% of the ticket price for venues seating more than 6,000 and no more than face value plus 20% for smaller venues. In addition, because New York ticket resale laws require online platforms permitting sales of event tickets to offer full buyer protection, eBay offers full buyer protection on ticket sales to New York events through PayPal and requires all sellers listing tickets to New York events to accept PayPal payments.

Pennsylvania
No more than face value plus the greater of 25% of the ticket price or $5.

Rhode Island
No more than face value plus the greater of 10% of the ticket price or $3.

LINK

Louisiana isn't mentioned.

I've use the friend idea. It worked OK but was a major P.I.A.

I think EBay will let you sell them now. I listed a test auction a few days ago and it posted fine with no restrictions.

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Posted by MikeBRLA

Baton Rouge

Member since Jun 2005

16886 posts

Posted on 6/15/07 at 4:21 pm to tigerpawl

I stand corrected then. Below is from PayPal

Louisiana
State law permits the resale of tickets by sellers in Louisiana at no greater than face value for all entertainment events held in the state. Buyers within Louisiana may not purchase tickets to Louisiana events sold by non-Louisiana residents above face value.

LINK

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Posted by tigerpawl

Can't get there from here.

Member since Dec 2003

22628 posts

Posted on 6/15/07 at 4:27 pm to MikeBRLA

That's interesting since EBay owns PayPal. I think the PayPal policy might need to be refreshed.

My real question is: can you sell tickets for more than face value in LA if it's not done on the Internet?

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Posted by Kramer26

St. George, LA

Member since Jan 2005

6455 posts

Posted on 6/15/07 at 4:31 pm to tigerpawl

(no message)

This post was edited on 10/3/10 at 10:27 pm

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Posted by Teamtne

Southaven, MS

Member since Aug 2005

817 posts

Posted on 6/17/07 at 9:27 pm to tigerpawl

quote:
My real question is: can you sell tickets for more than face value in LA if it's not done on the Internet?

Why not? LSU sells their season tickets over face value. They make you pay a fee in addition to the ticket prices. Wouldn't that make them scalpers?

Also, its easy to get away with scalping on ebay even for states that don't allow resale over the value of the tickets. When you put up an auction and it asks for the value of the tickets you just put in a fake value of the tickets. IT happens all the time which is why there are so many ticket brokers on ebay.

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Posted by lsumatt

Austin

Member since Feb 2005

12812 posts

Posted on 6/19/07 at 12:45 pm to Teamtne

Is the thing where the sell a t-shirt for $1000 and then the tickets for face value technically legal or not? How would that hold up in court?

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Posted by TigerGrl73

Nola

Member since Jan 2004

21356 posts

Posted on 6/19/07 at 1:03 pm to Teamtne

quote:
LSU sells their season tickets over face value. They make you pay a fee in addition to the ticket prices. Wouldn't that make them scalpers

No:

quote:
In connection with the sale of tickets to athletic contests of institutions of higher education, contributions or other payments in excess of the printed price requested by or made to the institution or to an alumni organization or foundation which is organized for the primary purpose of providing support to the institution and which has been recognized as an approved support organization by the board of the institution shall be allowed

here's a link to LA law on the subject (may have already been posted, didn't look)

LINK

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